More Information

How does it work?

The CMMA is not a club, but an association of mooring holders, this means it is only responsible for the licensing and administration of the moorings.

The mooring equipment itself belongs to the mooring holders and it is their responsibility to supply the assembly, keep it maintained and ensure it is periodically inspected as required.

The moorings.

The moorings are of the individual swing type and are located in the SW corner of Portland Harbour, between Portland Marina and the WWII Mulberrys.

They're pretty well sheltered, especially from the prevailing SW winds, but generally not considered suitable for winter use and it is usual for members to move their vessel onto the hard, or into a marina, for the winter months.

Unfortunately we do not have any hardstanding facility for dinghies ashore.  Portland residents are eligible to become members of Portland Boat Club located nearby, otherwise most members use inflatables launched from the publicly accessible Castle/Black Barge or Castletown slipways.

Annual Membership and Licensing Costs

Membership of the CMMA is currently £250 per year, which includes the CMMA subscription, the annual mooring licenses, along with a contribution to a ring fenced pot for the mandatory biennial riser inspection.  Additionally Portland Harbour Dues would be required for any vessel, but are discounted if bought via the CMMA.

Membership and mooring positions are allocated on a first come first served basis, and if we are fully subscribed, we operate a waiting list.

Equipment Cost

The cost of purchasing suitable gear that meets our minimum requirements, from a mooring supplier, would be in the region of £1200, but some vessels might require more sinker weight, for example.

Deployment of the mooring must be carried out by an operator licensed by Portland Harbour Authority (PHA).

Members can arrange mooring deployments themselves, or alternatively the CMMA can arrange deployment with a friendly contractor that offers cost effective deployment. The cost can be significantly reduced when split with others who are also requiring deployment, but it should not be more than £800.

Whilst the initial outlay of a self owned mooring can be daunting, the upside is that our mooring specification has been professionally designed and approved by the PHA.

This makes it very robust, suitable for our local requirements and of a known common configuration.  This means it should be very reliable, have a long life, as well as having a future on sale value, should a member decide to leave and want to sell their mooring equipment.

Future Costs

Annual membership and licensing is mandatory for use of the mooring.  It's possible that the equipment can become fortfeited with extended non-payment of fees and the equipment hasn't been removed as required and requested.

As described in our rules, members are required to maintain, inspect and document their assemblies; and bear the cost of doing so. 

But with our robust assembly requirements and the enforced savings pot for the costs of the biennial riser inspection, we don’t envisage further significant costs after deployment, at least until the riser needs replacing (~£120), the mooring has to be removed, or it reaches the mandatory 10 year lift out inspection/renewal requirement.

Our website has a copy of our constitution, as well as our minimum mooring requirements and some guidance.

You will also find a map of our mooring area, currently we have a few spaces left to allocate on the outer North and NW edge.

CMMA - Autumn 2025